The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1887-06-30


The first week Of the present month
witnessed peculiar observances among
the Slavcnic communities between the
Balkan mountains and the Adriatic sea.
II was the time Of the elawa feast, which
is peculiar to the South 6lavonic peoples.
Il comedies with Whitsuntide.
The "Slawa" Il the tutelary deity Of
the South Slsvonic household. Il 10 rep
resented by the "ikon," or "pictured
saint" that hangs in the corner Of every
room. The day before the feast the mis-
tress of the household takes two large
dishes; In one she places . big cake,
baked over night, and In the other .
quantity of wheat, nuts and almonds,
with small wax taper stuck in the mid
die. The latter dish is called "koljwo."
The off rings are brought into the guest
room and placed along with bottle OF
wine on . side table In front Of the
'ikon," with an enormous wax candle
mounting guard over all. On the morn
ing of the feast the family rise early, and
one of the sons, called the "tserkowetz,"
or 'church-goer," proceeds to the house
of worship, carrying the "koljwo" and
cake-and-wine offering. The dish Of a.
monds, wheat and nuts is deposited upon
the altar, the saints lamp is lighted there
and prayer, known as the MO
lebstwije," is recited by the priest.
Then the congregants stand down
in row, each with the cake he brought
in his hands. The priest comes to the
frst, turns over the cake he holds, and
cuts 1t across twice, in sucE . way as to
divide 1t into four quarters, without, how
ever, cutting 30 deep a. to separate the
pieces. Then he. pours little wine
where the knife has formed cross, and
the pair divide the cake 80 as tt. retain a
half each. The priest kisses his portion
three times, and says Christ be with nj" !"
the other responding Forever, amen"
They then kiss hands, and the minister
passes on to the next celebrant, with
whom he goes through exactly the same
ceremony; and so on, down the row,
until all have been attended to. This
forms the religious part of the cere-
monial, which Is known as the "brcaking
of the cake" As soon as 1t is over the
''church-goer" gets home as quickly as
he can, lights the lamp in front of the
holy imag lamp must not be suf-
fered to 60 out during the whole three
days of the festival-and goes round
with invitations for the social gathering
which takes place forthwith.
For this social celebration prepara-
tions on very large scale are made
by all who can afford it. Friends and
relatives from . distance are invited,
and few ever dream of refusing. People
think nothing of travelling . hundred
miles or so by wagon In order to keep up
the ''Slawa day" Of family connection.
A well-to-do farmer with entertain
sometimes whole village; and 1t is not
unusual to kill calf, a couple Of sheep,
and hundred head of poultry to provide
for the expected guests, with q suitable
proportion of the favorite red wine of
the country and "sliwowicz" or plum
spirit. Everything 10 made ready
while the ''tzerkowetz" is at church, and
the firing of number of guns about ten
o'clock gives notice to the invited guests
that the host and hostess are prepared to
receive them. II the weather permit, the
tables are spread In the open air If not,
In the large guest chamber. The eata-
bles are soon disposed Of; and then the
characteristic ceremony Of the day, the
celebrating of the Slawa," takes place.
A goblet, filed to the brim, is placed be-
fore each person at the table, and at a
signal from the oldest visitor present all
rise and remove their hats. Then the
senior guest chants the following in
verse:
We drank before as we liked and needed;
We drink now to the honor Of the divine
''Slawa."
The 'slawa" be propitious to all.
The guests respond, "God grant it,
and empty their glasses, which are i'm.
mediately filed for 1t IL feature of the
festival that the glasses must never stand
empty . single moment. A second
speaker now rises, and when Ill are
standing, sings:
We drank before to the 'elawa,"
We drink now to the Gross and "Glawa Name
All respond ~ before and finish their
wine. Another guest then gets on hil
feet and chants In solemn monotone {
third invitation to drink
We drink to the Trinity and to Pentocost,
May the Pentecost feast help ~ al
In house or In field. ON water or In wood.
A. soon as this pledge 10 properly hon
ored, procession OF all the unmarried
girls present IL formed. Each receives {
piece of the cake-olfering lying ON thu
table, and . handful Of wheat taken from
the same bag as furnished the "koljwo'
deposited In the church; and, bearinf
these In their hands, they march In per
| feet silence three times round the garder
or field belonging to the householder whit
IL celebrating the feast. When they hav,
completed the third circuit some wine 4
poured upon the ground, while the piece
| of cake are preserved as kind Of charm
until the next festival comes round. Thi
terminates the formal proceedings o
the day. Eating and drinking and toast
ing continue until evening, when th,
young people dance the national dance
such . the "Kolo," the "Tshetworka'
or the sMatshwanka-all, without ex
ception, joining in; for II one abstaine,
all must do the same-such is Soutl
Slavonic etiquette. As soon as 1t grow
dark huge honiires are lighted, and smal
parties gather round them; some sing
Ing TO the '.gusle," others telling stories
and not few getting noisy and tipsy Of
the heady drinks they are imbibing. Lat
ct night the health of the host and hi
household ID drunk, and the compan
separates for the night only.
Early 0n the fOllOwin0 m0rni00-fh